Destiny S. Harris

Summary

The website content provides financial advice on avoiding the pitfalls of consumerism, emphasizing the importance of budgeting, self-control, gratitude, and not comparing oneself to others to maintain financial health.

Abstract

The article titled "The Consumer Trap" on the website discusses the societal issue of mindless spending and the challenges consumers face with constant marketing and new products. It suggests that while it's acceptable to spend on desires, overconsumption can harm financial well-being. The author, Destiny S. Harris, encourages readers to consider the hours worked to earn money spent on non-essential items, advocating for the use of finance applications to track transactions meticulously. The article offers rem

Finance Advice

The Consumer Trap

Are you “treating yourself” too much?

At some point, most of us have spent money on things that have little to no value — without thinking twice about it. Mindless spending has become a societal pandemic; and all the marketing strategies, advertising, and new things that are constantly being introduced to the market don’t make consuming less any easier.

I am not a strict minimalist, but I appreciate the mindset. In reality, most of the things that are available to buy are unnecessary. It is okay to spend money on things for mere enjoyment and fulfill your desires, but when consuming develops into over-consuming, you compromise your financial health.

Note: How many hours do you figure you have worked in totality to earn the amount of money you have spent on things such as unnecessary clothes, fast food and eating out, entertainment, and other extraneous (optional) buys? Have you ever calculated your spending in terms of the time you worked to earn that money? By thinking about how you spend your money in terms of hours you work, it might shift your thinking towards superfluous spending.

Tip: If you would like to see where your money goes, experiment with utilizing a finance application that logs down each transaction you incur (e.g. Mint, Every Dollar. Etc.).

There are many phone applications to help you budget, which I have found to be the most useful in helping me to manage my transactions on the fly more meticulously. Logging every transaction I make helps ensure I am exceptionally cognizant of every single penny I am spending and bringing in. Over time, logging everything dollar that I spend and bring in has helped me decrease my spending in several areas; it has also helped me save money and find ways to bring in more resources.

Consumer Syndrome Remedies Remedy 1: Budgeting Remedy 2: Self-control Remedy 3: Gratitude Remedy 4: Don’t compare yourself to or compete with others

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Destiny S. Harris is a writer, poet, entrepreneur, teacher, and techie who offers free books daily on amazon. Destiny obtained three degrees in political science, psychology, and women’s studies. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or @ destinyh.com

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